Category: Books

Most of the Once A Book projects I’ve posted so far involve removing some or all of the inside pages of an old book. I know that is tantamount to heresy for some, but maybe I can redeem myself a little bit with today’s project.

Book beads from the smallest forest takes recycling a step further by putting those sad old pages back into circulation. They’re called “book beads” because the process is the same as the binding process used to make children’s board books. You don’t have to use book pages, though. Any type of paper will work, but book pages are especially fitting because the “pages” flip, like a tiny round book.

The beautifully photographed step by step tutorial can be found by clicking quick tutorial : : book beads. Don’t bother looking for the written instructions, it’s such an easy process, the photos tell the whole story.

As always, if you decide to make this project, send pictures and I’ll post them here.

In seven simple steps, videojug.com shows us how to turn an old book into a floating bookshelf.

This Once A Book project can be used to stack other books, display artwork or photos, or as an art installation on its own. Stagger a few shelves along the wall or make the base sit both parallel and perpendicular to the wall. It’s DIY … have fun with it!

In the video’s comments section, some killjoy says that you can buy a bracket for about $10 to do the same thing. That’s true, but what’s the fun of that? It’s much more organic (and ecologically friendly) to make your own. Besides, the pride of looking at the shelf and knowing you did it yourself easily trumps an off-the-shelf purchase.

One of the many joys of travel is that it allows us to break away from our busy schedules and gives us more time to read. How often have you saved a special book (books, in my case) to read on vacation, on the beach, on the flight? Reading and travel are a natural go-together.

Author and RVer, Brad Herzog takes the irresistible pairing a step further on his blog You Are Here. In “Great Books, State by State,” Mr. Herzog writes not just about reading on the road, but about “the wonders of reading the right books in the right locales.”

He goes on to list 50 books for 50 states, citing both the obvious (“A River Runs Through It” for Montana, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” for Missouri) and the obscure (“American Pastoral” for New Jersey, “My Sister’s Keeper” for Rhode Island). Even with the more tenuous links, it’s not much of a stretch to see how location plays a part in the story. Reading a novel while traveling its setting can only improve the experience of each.

“As long as there have been travelers, there have been attempts to put the experience into words. But sometimes what has already been written can improve the ride,” he writes in the earlier post, “Pages and Places,” which inspired this list.

In case you don’t have enough books on your bookshelves, there aren’t enough books stacked on your night stand, piled next to the couch, or teetering on the coffee table, here is another way to bring books into your home.

This Once A Book project from the bloggers at FactoryDirectCraft.com is a quick project that will take about an hour from start to finish. Use any book you like. Heavier books can be propped on a table, lighter ones can be hung.

Image reblogged from IM NOT TRYING TO IMPRESS YOU BUT I’M THE DOCTOR at Tumblr

Dr. Seuss, whose birthday is Wednesday (March 2, 1904), was the author of 44 children’s books, including “Green Eggs and Ham,” “The Cat in the Hat,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

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The Monday Motivator is a quote posted each week to encourage, inspire, and motivate writers of all skill levels and across genres. If you have a favorite quote to share, let me know and I’ll post it here. Click here to see past Monday Motivators.

The Book Bench posted a link to this video yesterday with the comment, “Finally, a music video starring your bookcase.” Music videos and bookcases? How could I resist? I dare you to watch it and not marvel at the creativity (and the snappy tune).

If you’re the type who can’t bear to do anything with a book besides read it, this project isn’t for you. If, on the other hand, you’re a crafty type just itching to do something with the stack of old romance novels stashed in the corner of the living room, this could be your next project …

Today is Alice Walker’s 67th birthday. Her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Color Purple,” is one of my favorites; the movie is too. But beyond the brief biography I read in connection with her book, I didn’t know a thing about her. Until today.

Thank you, Internet!

Her perfectly titled website Alice Walker’s Garden is an incredible place to visit, walk around, admire, and enjoy. The site includes Ms. Walker’s blog, information on books old and new, poetry, audio and video interviews, photos, and a biography. It’s the biography that captured my attention the longest. It starts out saying Alice Walker is a “Poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, anthologist, teacher, editor, publisher, womanist and activist.”

Nice resume!

It goes on to talk about a childhood experience involving lying, which, as she explains, “… is the root of my need to tell the truth, always, because I experienced, very early, the pain of telling a lie.”

It’s fascinating to read about this early experience that helped shape the woman she became. To learn more for yourself, or read some of her poetry, essays, or other words, visit Alice Walker’s Garden. While you’re there, wish her a happy day.